A Raven Lost, A Raven Found
by koneko101
Summary: Raven was gone. That was the only thing that Anya knew for certain. Her beloved girl was gone, her body burning in the house before her.
1. Chapter 1

Raven was gone.

That was the only thing that Anya knew for certain. Her beloved girl was gone, her body burning in the house before her. The house they shared together, that now burned to the ground. She could smell her beautiful flesh burning from where she stood, her heightened senses working against her now. Someone was screaming, and it took her a moment to realize it was her own screams she was hearing. Strong arms were wrapped around her, holding her back from running into the house. She knew her mate was dead, but that didn't stop her from wanting to run in anyway.

"Anya, Anya, stop! Anya, listen, I'm sorry but she's gone. You can't save her. ANYA! STOP!"

That was Lexa. That was Lexa talking to her, telling her to… stop? Why was she not letting her help her Raven?

"Let me go, I need to get to her! Let go of me!" Anya snarled as she struggled.

A cool hand cupped her face, making her look in to sad blue eyes. "Anya, she's gone. If you run in there now you will die, and there will be no hope for bringing her back. I need you to calm down and stop fighting Lexa. Please, Anya."

A soft warmth flowed over her as Clarke used her power to try and calm her. Gulping loudly, she whimpered as she went limp in Lexa's hold. Tears flowed down her face as her grief overwhelmed her, her eyes unable to look away as her home caved in upon itself. She wasn't sure how long they stayed there, but soon the sun broke out and the flames began to recede. Once they were almost fully out she stood and moved towards the remains. Clarke and Lexa followed close behind, watching as she walked through her home, the one she built for Raven and herself.

It only took a few minutes to get to their bedroom, and she couldn't hold back the anguished cry upon seeing the charred form of her mate. Falling to her knees, she cradled the body close as she wept for her lover. For the family they had planned to begin but would now not have the chance. Sniffling, she rose and walked away, Raven's body held tight. Their place in the woods would be the perfect burial site. It didn't take her long to get there, and she gently lowered the body to the ground before beginning to dig. It was only when she saw Lexa aiding her that she realized the two had followed her.

"Raven was just as much a part of us as she was you. She was Clarke's packmate since they were cubs, her sister in all but blood, and a dear friend and advisor to me. We will honor her, and when she returns to us we will keep her safe until it is time for her to remember and join us again."

"How will we know when she is back? If she is coming back? How, Lexa?" Anya mumbled angrily.

"She will come back, Anya. Have you not heard the forest? It's angry that one of its own was taken before their time. These hunters have gone against us for too long. We protect these woods, and now they will help protect and avenge us. She will be with us again one day, I can promise you this."

Anya said nothing, just dug until it was deep enough. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself before moving Raven to the grave. Lowering her lover into the dirt, she mumbled a short prayer.

'' From the ground you came, and now to the ground you return. May the gods keep you close until you return to me. May your spirit find safe passage through the heavens. I will find you again, and I will not fail you a second time, my precious girl. Until we meet again.''

Lexa came up as she left the grave, covering Raven with the help of Clarke. Both gave their own prayers as they filled the hole, tears falling as they mourned their friend. Anya dropped the last handful on top before moving away, not waiting but knowing the others were following her. The rest of the pack would come to Lexa's call, and they would plan what came next. For now, all she could was find the hunters and seek revenge, then she would wait. She would wait for as long as it took.


	2. Chapter 2

Someone was following her.

Raven kept her face impassive even as she felt her heart begin to race. She wasn't exactly in the best neighborhood, after all. A chill blew through, making her pull her jacket tighter around her. Footsteps came faster behind her, and she moved into a near jog as she rounded the corner. Only to slam into what must have been a wall. Letting out a small squeak, she felt herself begin to fall backwards as she lost her balance only for a gentle but strong hand to wrap around her arm, keeping her upright.

"Are you alright?"

Raven looked up, opening her mouth to respond, only for her mind to blank. This person, no, this _woman,_ was absolutely GORGEOUS. Long blond hair, deep hazel eyes, and cheekbones that could cut diamonds. Her face was somewhat cold, but there seemed to be a hidden warmth in her eyes. Or maybe she was imagining it? The woman quirked an eyebrow as her lip twitched in amusement, making Raven realize she had yet to answer.

"I... I'm fine, thank you," she stammered, swallowing slightly. "Are you? I did kind of just crash into you, miss…?"

"Anya. I'm fine, you are very tiny. Hardly felt a thing. And you are?" Anya smirked.

"Raven. And I'm not tiny, maybe you are just freakishly tall!" Raven pouted. Sometimes she really hated her height.

Before Anya could respond, an oily voice interrupted them.

"Hey baby, where you goin'? We just wanna talk, yeah."

Raven flinched slightly, not noticing Anya's eyes hardening as she turned to face the man. Not that he was that remarkable, just a normal greasy haired sleaze ball. His friend was a little behind him, a smirk covering his face.

"Well I'm good, thanks. Nice talk, gotta go," Raven said calmly as she turned to leave.

"Hey, don't be like that, we just want to… HEY LET GO!"

Raven spun around, eyes widening at seeing Anya's hand wrapped around the guys wrist.

"You will not touch her. She has shown no interest in being around you so continuing would be… unwise for you."

Raven could only gape as the man nodded and ran off, his friend following behind.

Anya glared after them a moment before turning to face her. "My apologies if I overstepped, he was trying to grab you after you turned around."

"N…no it's, ok. Thank you. I appreciate the help," Raven stammered, a shy smile crossing her face. Why couldn't she get her confidence working? Had her brain just shorted out? Who was this woman to make her like this?

"You're shaking. May I walk you home? Or perhaps get you some tea? It wouldn't be safe to go alone this time of night," Anya offered, a frown on her face as she observed her.

"Uhh, sure, I guess. My house isn't far."

Anya nodded, motioning for Raven to move forward. As she did, the wind blew again making her shiver. Anya frowned again before shrugging out of her jacket and draping it over her, ignoring Raven's protests. The rest of the walk was in silence, Raven stealing small glances while not noticing how Anya kept her gaze on her. It really didn't take long, only about 10 minutes to reach her building. Raven felt heat rush into her cheeks as Anya looked it over, noting its worn-down state. Clearing her throat, she looked up to the taller woman.

"Well, thank you. I appreciate the help, Anya," she said before turning to enter the building.

"Maybe we could meet up again. If you would like. Perhaps for a cup of coffee?" Anya asked, fidgeting slightly.

Raven blinked at her a moment before a smirk started to form. "Hmm, I don't know. I guess that could work. I am pretty awesome to be around."

Anya smirked back as they exchanged their contact information. Grasping her hand gently, she placed a gentle kiss across Raven's knuckles, enjoying the deep blush this caused.

"Until we meet again, little bird."

Raven wasn't even able to form a response before she was gone. Shaking her head to clear it, she couldn't stop the smile forming as she turned to enter the building. It wasn't until she in her apartment that she realized she still had Anya's jacket. She let herself inhale the comforting scent, wondering why this woman had this effect on her. Pushing the thought away, she carefully hung the jacket before getting ready for bed. It had been a long day and she needed to be rested. Laying in the bed, she tossed and turned for a time as she tried to get comfortable. Nothing seemed to work, and she bit her lip as she thought of the jacket. Unable to stop herself, she quickly left and returned to her bed with the jacket in hand. Cuddling it close, she inhaled Anya's scent as she finally relaxed, slipping into sleep as deep hazel eyes filled her mind. Eyes that held a soft warmth that seemed to promise she'd be safe.

….

Anya could hardly believe her luck. She had found her. After all these years, waiting and hoping and searching, she had found her! When she had been walking aimlessly, the first whiff of her scent had made her freeze. She would never forget that smell, like the sun fresh berries that used to grow along the river of their old home. They still grew in the woods there, but that was far away. She had followed it and found her walking along the road. Oh, how beautiful she was. The same deep brown eyes, tan skin, her hair a gorgeous waterfall. The sight had made her breath fade, leaving her to bask in Raven's presence after so long. The sight of the two men trailing her girl had snapped her out of her daze. Snarling slightly, she quickly moved to intervene.

The confrontation was brief, and it had taken all of her self-control not to pull her close at that first touch. The shock that ran through her had almost undone her but she managed to keep her composure. She wasn't able to stop herself from offering her jacket, and her wolf had practically preened at the knowledge that they were caring for their mate after so long. Coating her in Anya's scent was just a bonus. She has been unable to tear her eyes away as they walked, losing herself in being close to Raven once again. When they reached her home, she had noted the run-down building, her stomach clenching at the thought of Raven being here. The building name seemed familiar, she would need to look into why later on.

Watching a moment, she noted the window where the light came on and was able to make out Raven's face as it appeared in the window before the drapes were shut. She debated on entering to figure out the exact place, but decided against it. She would need to move slowly, wooing her mate all over again. A slight huff escaped before she could stop it, but at least she had a small advantage. She knew some of the baser things would remain the same, such as Raven's independence and intelligence. Her interests may be different with this new world, but she knew how to handle her little bird. Grinning, she barely noticed her speed increasing until she was suddenly home. The lights were on and she could smell dinner cooking. Hopefully Clarke had made it, even after all this time Lexa was still able to burn water. Going in, she paused when she went to remove her jacket. Raven still had it. The idea of her still wearing it made her heart jump happily.

"Where were you? I thought you would have been here a while ago," Lexa asked, idly thumbing through a magazine.

"And what's with the weird smile? Did you kill somebody and not tell us? We can help hide the body," Clarke joked from the stove.

"I found her."

Clarke squeaked as she dropped the spoon, while Lexa jerked her head up sharply.

"You found her? Are you sure? Is it really Raven?" Clarke shot out question after question, barely able to contain herself at the thought of her sister coming back to them.

"I did. She's just the same, so beautiful. Her scent hasn't changed in all this time. I can… honestly hardly believe it," Anya laughed, feeling her eyes grow a little wet as it truly hit her that she had found Raven again.

Lexa glanced at Clarke with a smile, neither commenting on the tall blonde's tears. "How did you find her?"

Anya told them the story, ignoring the growls that erupted when she brought up the two men. "Her apartment is familiar, the name anyway. The Ark Apartments, have either of you heard of them? They are… somewhat below standard."

"We should, it's one of ours. They are supposed to be for those with a somewhat fixed income, Clarke bought it as a sort of giving back kind of thing. What do you mean below standard? All of our buildings get an upgrade every five year," Lexa asked.

"This one has been missed, more than once by the look of things. I'll look into it, but whoever is managing seems to be falling behind," Anya grumbled. The thought of her little bird being there…

Pushing the thought aside, she rose from her seat and made her way into her office. "Save me a plate, I think it may be a while before I come eat."

Sitting at her desk, it only took her a few moments of looking through her computer before she found it. The Ark Apartments, meant for fixed income residents such as disabled, retired, or students. A wide variety. Thelonious Jaha, building manager as well as overall supervisor of this section. Her frown grew bigger as she read through the reports. By what he had sent, they should have had an overall remodel two years ago, but the building itself obviously had remained untouched for years. The windows were cracked, roof had shingles missing, and she had been able to smell the must from the insulation thanks to her heightened senses. A lot of work was needed that should have been taken care of a long time ago. Gritting her teeth angrily, she made notes of what she had seen and sent a notice to the night manager that she would be doing an inspection the following day and to give the residents a written notice. Pulling the residents records, she glanced through to see how many they had. There were 24 apartments with all currently filled. Raven was in 6A, she noted with a grin, making sure to write it down so she could inspect it. She refused to leave her love in squalor. Maybe she could do a full upgrade…

Shaking her head, Anya forced herself to think clearly. Her wolf was going overboard after so long alone, overcompensating her need to cherish and protect. She doubted Raven would want to be lavished by, what was to her, a stranger who had helped her out one evening. She needed to tread carefully. Raven would regain her memories, but she needed to do so gradually to avoid any repercussions. For now, she would do small things that honestly should have been done long ago anyway. Breathing deeply, she forced herself to calm down before rising. She needed to eat and rest. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.


	3. Chapter 3

Lexa looked around the lobby of the Ark Apartments with a small frown. Beside her Clarke was grimacing as she took in the state of things. The tile was cracked, and the areas with carpet was so stained at first glance she thought brown was the actual color. Anya was grumbling under her breath nearby, her sharp eyes noting the faded paint and general uncleanliness. Things were already off to a bad start. Off to the side, Jaha was standing off to side, trying to seem calm as he started to sweat. The last thing he had expected was for the owners to pay a random visit. He needed to play things cool.

"So, Jaha, was it? I'm a little concerned on the state of the building. According to our records you had a roof replacement, new tiling, carpeting, and insulation update two years ago. How have things come to this state? Were there outside forces that expedited the wearing process?" Lexa asked, careful to keep her tone light so as to seem calm. Better to give false security now to see if things slipped.

"Well we had some severe weather and much of the repairs sustained damage, so things got a little more worn more quickly. We have been in the process of figuring out what has gotten more damaged than the rest before sending in the request forms," Jaha simpered, trying to seem like he had been his job.

All three women barely held back an eyeroll. Things had obviously been neglected for years, but no need to tip him off now. The more relaxed he becomes, the more true information they would receive.

"Good, thank you. We have made a list units we would like to inspect. If you would lead the way, we can get things started," Clarke jumped in before handing him a list.

Jaha gave the list a quick scan, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the unit numbers. Gulping silently, he knew he had no choice so he gave them a fake grin before leading them to the stairwell.

"Forgive the need for the stairs, the elevator suffered a small issue recently and we are currently getting it repaired."

Clarke's frown deepened as they went up the first floor. "What of your disabled residents? The ones in wheelchairs, or with canes? Things must be very difficult for them without the elevator. What are the measures taken to help them?"

Jaha faltered on a step, sweat dotting his brow as he scrambled for an answer. "None of our current residents are wheelchair users, but I have been personally assisting those who need it on the stairs, or the doorman when I am not here."

Clarke nodded slightly, letting out a small hum. His answers didn't match the resident forms they had, but she would wait until they finished before confronting him about it.

They soon reached the second floor with the first unit to inspect. It didn't take long, the elderly man who resided was very courteous and happily answered all their questions. Clarke felt her heart pinch slightly as she noticed the worn down carpet, parts were starting to curl up. Looking at the cane leaning next to his chair, she wondered how often he tripped walking around. Making a small note, she plastered a smile as she thanked him and they continued. This was mostly how the rest of the inspection went. They visited all but one, as that person was not at home. When they finally reached the sixth floor, it was all any of them could do to contain their excitement. Jaha knocked on the door, and a moment later Raven peaked her head out. Clarke felt tears prick her eyes for a moment before controlling herself. Her sister was back, looking just as she always did.

"Jaha. Finally answering that heater request I gave you months ago?" Raven snarked slightly before seeing the women. Her eyes widened slightly at seeing Anya, who gave her a small wave.

Jaha clenched his teeth slightly as he forced a fake smile. "Nonsense, Ms. Reyes. You know we take repairs seriously. Perhaps you didn't turn the form in?" he grit out, giving her a pointed glare.

She swallowed slightly before nodding. "Right, my mistake. Hey Anya, nice seeing you. Thanks again for the help last night, I have your jacket by the way. Now how can I help you? This hardly seems like a social call," she asked bluntly while leaning on the door frame.

"We are the owners of this complex, and our here for the inspection. I assume you received notice, is that correct?" Lexa asked, keeping her tone neutral but pleasant.

Raven raised an eyebrow as she shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not. Maybe it fell off my door? Seems to happen a lot after the fifth floor," she said sarcastically while looking at Jaha.

"I apologize for the lack of notice. If it is not an inconvenience, would it be alright if we inspected your unit? We are doing some random inspections and yours is the last on our list," Clarke piped in.

Raven looked at her a moment, a small hint of confusion in her eyes. Why did these people seem familiar? Shaking her head slightly, she opened the door fully and stepped aside. "Sure, no problem. Pardon the mess, I've been doing some work for my job."

The mess, as she called it, was a small workstation in the dining area. A tarp covered the floor to catch any oil, and small pieces of mechanical work was covering the surface. The rest of her home left Anya fuming. There was no heat, and it was almost bitterly cold. The kitchen appliances were so outdated she wondered how they even worked, and her carpet had holes in it from age. Water barely came from the faucets when they were checked, and her bathtub had a large crack down one side that had been duct taped. Her lips thinned as she saw the laundry area, and noted the amount of towels around the washer.

"Ms. Reyes, this washer was here when you rented the unit, correct?"

"Yup, been here as long as I have at least. Sorry about the towels, it leaks when I use it so this keeps out a flood," Raven mumbled, keeping her voice low. Embarrassment covered her face, the shame creeping in at Anya seeing where she lived. She didn't know why this woman's opinion mattered to her so much but it did.

"I see. Thank you, miss," Anya said shortly as she wrote a number of things down.

Lexa moved forward, jerking her head at Anya to keep Jaha occupied for a moment.

Keeping her voice quiet so as not to be overheard, she offered Raven a reassuring smile. "Ms. Reyes, we have in our file that you have been living with us for a few years now. How often has your apartment been part of the overall repair of worn down parts?"

Raven gave her a startled look and a shrug. "Umm, never? I don't think anyone here that I know has had any maintenance for worn down stuff. It's in our lease, ya know? Nothing gets replaced unless broken and carpeting, paint, etc. when we leave comes from our deposit."

Lexa blinked at that before frowning angrily. "Ms. Reyes, I would like to apologize now as there seems to be a misunderstanding on how things are meant to be run. Standard procedure is that carpet is to be replaced along with repainting every two years even if resident is still residing there. None of that comes from the deposit, it is just a part of normal maintenance. If you would be so kind as to write down what all needs to be repaired here, we will get things started. I apologize again that you have not been met with the standards that you should have been as a resident with our company. Rest assured we will be rectifying that situation promptly," she told Raven as she leveled her gaze at Jaha. The man was openly sweating, knowing he was done. There was no way he was getting out of this.

Clarke gave a small chuckle as she strode forward, placing a hand on Lexa's arm. "Well, so much for keeping him out of the know until the end. Anyway, we truly are sorry you had to live this way for so long. That all of you have. We are making plans to fix everything immediately to get this place up to our standards as it should be."

Raven could only gape at them before turning to Anya. The taller woman gave her a shy smile as she moved forward.

"So I never imagined meeting you last night would lead to this, cheekbones. I guess thanks are in order. Some of the people here really need some help. Old man Nyko on the fifth floor has to have his son carry him down whenever he wants to leave since he's in a chair. Can't exactly roll down the steps. Maybe first thing you could do is fix the elevator? That things been down for over a year!"

Clarke raised a brow as she looked at Jaha. "A chair? As in a wheelchair? Tell me, Jaha, didn't you say earlier that none of your residents were wheelchair users? Seems as if the stories don't quite match up," she said dryly.

Jaha didn't respond, choosing instead to shoot Raven a fierce glare. Anya moved in front of her with a glare of her own.

"I think we have seen enough. Thelonius Jaha, you are hereby fired from your position. You have 15 minutes to clear out your office and vacate the premises before police are called. Lexa will be overseeing your dismissal to ensure that nothing is taken that shouldn't be. I would suggest you go now."

Jaha spluttered indignantly as he looked between them. "You can't do this! I have been taking care of this rundown shack for YEARS! You can't believe this bitch, nothing she says is true. Orphans always lie!" he roared.

Raven flinched at the revealing of her lineage as Anya snarled in anger.

"You will watch your tongue! Your incompetence is why you are being let go, deal with it! Do better elsewhere, but rest assured that you will be getting no where near one of our companies again! Now get out!" Clarke snapped, barely noticing Lexa's hand holding her back.

"Come Jaha, we will get your things. Try to have some decency," Lexa stated flatly before leading the angry man away.

Clarke followed them, muttering obscenities under her breath. Soon it was only Anya and Raven, both looking at each other warily.

"Forgive me, Raven. We all lost our temper for a moment. I hope knowing I own this place does not alter how you see me. Perhaps we could get that coffee and just be… Anya and Raven for a short while?" Anya asked nervously.

Raven stared blankly for a moment before giving a small smile. "I think I'd like that very much. This does at least explain why my building was so interesting last night," she mused.

Anya barked out a laugh as they left the apartment, Raven pausing to lock the door behind her. "I actually wasn't sure at the time, had to look up where I knew it from. I'm glad I did though, who knows how long this would have gone on."

Raven just laughed as she grinned up at her. "True, he's never fixed anything unless he had to. I'm glad you guys came today. A lot of the people here could really use the maintenance."

Anya just smiled as they stepped into the lobby. Jaha was gone, and she could hear Clarke on the phone with someone about fixing the elevator. Lexa poked her head out of the office and ginned at them.

"Hey, Clarke is trying to get someone by today to look at the elevator. I'm going to start looking through the files here. They are such a mess! Nothing organized, lazy asshole. Are you heading somewhere?" she asked with a small glint in her eyes.

"Coffee, with the lovely little bird. Text me if you guys want something, we will be back later," Anya threw out before leading Raven out the door. A quick sniff and glance around told her Jaha was not nearby, thankfully. Turning to Raven, she shyly held out her hand for the other woman to take. The Latina did so readily, flashing her a smirk as Anya led her to a nearby coffee house. Let the games begin.


End file.
